The Unexpected Mayo Substitute For Creamy And Delicious Egg Salad

There are many different egg salad recipes on the internet, each with its own unique twist and flavor. The most common ingredients cooks swap out are herbs and seasonings to tailor the dish to their tastes. But most egg salads consist of a few staple building blocks, including eggs, mayonnaise, and mustard. However, why limit your creativity to just add-ins when there are so many innovative ways you could remake this dish? After all, egg salad isn't necessarily the healthiest thing in the world, and some improvements could be made to change up not just the taste, but also the nutrition of this dish.

One surprising swap to try is substituting white beans for the mayo. While this may first sound like an egg salad mistake, the mashed beans provide a smooth and creamy texture similar to mayonnaise, but without all the fat. Whether you want a healthier meal or are simply looking to try new things in the kitchen, white beans in egg salad may be your next lunchtime favorite.

Swapping white beans into your egg salad is a pretty easy endeavor. Though it may not be as quick as scooping mayo out of a jar, it only involves a few extra steps. Start by draining and rinsing the can of beans. You can use any variety of white beans, including navy, great northern, or similar beans you have on hand. After allowing the water to drain off, pour the beans into a bowl. With a fork or potato masher, mash them until they reach a smooth consistency. After that, you're ready to add the remaining ingredients.

The whole can of beans might be too much, especially if you're cooking for one or two. If this is the case, you can save the extra beans in the fridge to serve as a component for another recipe. In addition, you don't have to use canned beans at all. With some extra time and forethought, dried beans work just as well and are more budget-friendly. Plus, you can more easily cook only the amount you plan to use for egg salad. Simply soak and cook the beans as you normally would, making sure that you let them get very soft. Allow them plenty of time to sit in the fridge to cool before you mash and add them to the salad.

Although this trick is unconventional, there are some benefits to swapping out mayo for white beans, primarily in terms of health. According to the USDA, one tablespoon of mayonnaise has 10 grams of fat. Beans are an easy-to-use alternative that allows egg salad to retain a creamy texture but with less fat. In addition, one cup of boiled navy beans has about 19 grams of fiber. Per the Mayo Clinic, this is the majority of women's recommended daily intake and about half that of men.

A cup of beans has about 15 grams of protein, too. In comparison, a cup of mayo has only 2 grams. Considering the growing popularity of high-protein meals and snacks, this is an easy way to increase your protein intake, especially if you're also trying to reduce your meat consumption. 

Adding in white beans also can make this meal much more satiating – perfect if you're looking to make this light dish a full lunch or dinner. Whether you're looking for a healthier alternative to mayonnaise, want to add more protein to your diet, or are simply seeking new ways to play around with old favorite dishes, try adding white beans to amp up your next take on egg salad.